Federal authorities have arrested Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, a former senior official at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and Adeniyi Akeem Somoye, his alleged accomplice, on charges of operating a multi-year bribery scheme that generated nearly $960,000 in exchange for expediting immigration benefits.
The arrests, made on September 2, were announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, which alleges the scheme ran from December 2019 to March 2026. Prosecutors say Ganiyu, who held a senior position at USCIS, unlawfully approved and fast-tracked applications for permanent residency, citizenship, and family-sponsored petitions by bypassing required federal review procedures.
Investigators allege that Ganiyu and Somoye used WhatsApp communications to coordinate payments and manipulate USCIS systems. Ganiyu allegedly rerouted applications from field offices in Minneapolis, Charlotte, and Houston, bypassing local supervisors to approve them directly. The scheme included Form I-485 applications for green cards, naturalization petitions, and petitions to remove conditions on residency.
Key Allegations and Methods
Prosecutors allege that Ganiyu received $671,438 from applicants seeking citizenship and residency benefits. The pair allegedly collected payments in exchange for skipping criminal background checks, interviews, and standard USCIS processing protocols. Somoye, Ganiyu’s alleged co-conspirator, was also arrested on the same day.
According to court documents, Ganiyu allegedly fast-tracked citizenship for Somoye before approving residency applications for Somoye’s wife and child. The scheme involved hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, with prosecutors describing the arrangement as a “blatant abuse of public trust.”
Official Responses
A spokesperson for USCIS stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter): “There is no place in this agency for corruption, abuse of authority, or violations of public trust.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas emphasized that public corruption will not be tolerated, calling the alleged actions a direct violation of federal law.
The case is ongoing, and additional updates are expected as the investigation continues.